§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the months in each of the last six years in which additional levels of social benefits have been made available for pensioners during exceptionally cold weather periods.
§ Mr. NewtonI assume the hon. Member has in mind the provision whereby householders in receipt of supplementary benefit are eligible for a single payment if they have used more fuel than they have budgeted for as a result of a period of exceptionally severe weather.
The weather was not considered to be exceptionally severe during 1981, 1983 and 1984. It was considered to be exceptionally severe over the whole of Great Britain in January 1982, and in certain areas of England and Wales during January and February 1985. No information is available for 1980.